Liverpool v Arsenal preview

Got some thinking to do...

In a few minutes from now Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool side host Premiership leaders Arsenal at Anfield, and like with every fixture between now and the 11th May, is a must win for the Reds.

It goes without saying that Liverpool have not done well against the teams above them in the league this season having taken a big fat zero points from the possible nine available from Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea. Cries of bad luck, poor refereeing aside, the final scoreline speaks for itself, and this is what matters. The biggest issue for Liverpool this season, in my opinion has been their defence. Shocking would not have been an understatement for many an occasion this season and this is something Rodgers must remedy.

I don't believe the inability to capture an obscure Ukrainian attacking midfielder in January to be the failure of Liverpool, but rather the lack of focussing on bringing in a competent defender to shore up the leaky back line. This is absolutely clear and I don't know what team observers are watching if they see missing out on signing Yehven Konoplyanka as the death knell for Liverpool's season. Only Man City have scored more goals than Liverpool so far this term thus the attacking element in the side does not appear to be the burning issue. The fact that they've shipped more goals than the rest of the top five sides is.

The one saving grace for Liverpool is that all the losses against the top teams have come away from home and the chance to play the top three sides in front of their own fans is definitely an advantage. I for one am expecting much more from the Reds at Anfield and let's hope the side give the fans - and themselves for that matter - something to be proud of. I'm not particularly bothered about the performance if I'm honest. The primary aim against the top sides must be to get the result. Point. These are the kind of games that will shape Rodgers fate and determine whether this season is a mere flash in the pan or a genuine 'Phoenix from the ashes' scenario.

Personally, I'd like to see Jon Flanagan and Martin Kelly starting as the full backs to give the team a bit more 'bite'. I don't think Aly Cissokho has been all that from what I've seen of him. There is certainly no room for the kind of mistake that Kolo Touré made to gift West Bromwich Albion an equaliser in the last fixture. For the midfield and attack, business as usual.

A win for Liverpool would give them 50 points and a five point cushion over Everton who have a difficult away trip to a resurgent Tottenham tomorrow - Not to mention three points behind Chelsea and Man City who occupy third and second respectively. Let's hope in a couple of hours we're talking about three points gained instead of two thrown away, or worse still, three given away.

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